The present invention resides in a crankcase for an internal combustion engine with in-line cylinder arrangement, including a chamber for collecting lubricant which is arranged within the crankcase, and with a bottom plate for providing dry sump lubrication, which bottom plate closes the crankcase to the ambient.
DE 21 40 377 A discloses a crankcase for an internal combustion engine with in-line cylinder arrangement wherein a side-wall of the crankcase is provided at the side of the cylinders in the form of a chamber. Toward the ambient, the crankcase is closed at the bottom by an oil pan. From the oil pan, a suction pump pumps the lubricant into the chamber whereby a dry-sump lubrication system is provided. The cylinder head includes several channels by which the cylinder head is in communication with the chamber. The lubricant flowing back from the lubricating locations of the cylinder head is conducted directly into the chamber while bypassing the dry sump. To this end, the crankcase must be inclined in the area of the cylinder and the cylinder head with respect to a horizontal plane. The crankcase is therefore wider than a crankcase of an engine with vertical cylinders. Since, in practice, the available construction space and the power output of the engine is given to the manufacturer by the final customer, the inclined crankcase causes a target conflict between the two requirements.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a crankcase for an engine with vertical cylinders including a bottom plate all with an optimal space utilization.